My wife will be turning 40 in July and I was toying with the idea of taking her to Chicago for a couple of days. I have never been there before. I was just looking for ideas of where to eat, sights to see, places to stay, etc. We are probably looking at three days max, more than likely two days.

hornet84 wrote:My wife will be turning 40 in July and I was toying with the idea of taking her to Chicago for a couple of days. I have never been there before. I was just looking for ideas of where to eat, sights to see, places to stay, etc. We are probably looking at three days max, more than likely two days.

My fav, fav city. It answers the question, "What would C-town be like were it awesome?

Must do's if this is about her and not you....

Stay on or near the Magnificent Mile, and be ready to carry lots of shopping bags for her. Amazing hotels.

First Lady of Chicago (boat's name) archetecture cruise.

Museums if you are down with that.

Killer places to eat. All depends on what you want. I can't leave w/ out a pizza, but last time there I did Texas de Brazil. Like Brassa on steroids.

hornet84 wrote:My wife will be turning 40 in July and I was toying with the idea of taking her to Chicago for a couple of days. I have never been there before. I was just looking for ideas of where to eat, sights to see, places to stay, etc. We are probably looking at three days max, more than likely two days.

Just moved from there 2 months ago

Eat: Portillos - There is one downtown, ask the hotel how to get there. Suggestions: Get a hot dog and an Italian Beef... when in Chicago eat like a Chicagoian

Malnati's - Couple in the city (get the buttercrust and thank me later) malnatis is the best of the deep dish joints hands down.

Get a damn Steak - Be it Gibson's, Tavern on Rush, Mortons etc.

See: Shedd Aquarium, Field Mueseum, Art Muesuem (check for free days they have alot on certain days, took the wife to Shedd and Art for free)

Take a stroll down Mag Mile

Go up to Wrigley grab a few beers

Go up to Lincoln park. Armitage/Halsted is a nice area to walk around and shop, eat, etc.

and to steal from JB take the boat tour. Never did it but heard it was great.

Just walk around the city. There is so much to look at and see. From Millenium Park, the Bean (you'll see), to the bridges, the buildings, etc.

Stay: Anywhere downtown. you'll want to walk to everything you wont have to touch your car for 3 days. Which doesnt matter cause you are still going to be spending $40 a night to keep it there

If you want any more paticular info pm me. Also if you are adventurous and want to take a trip to the hands down best taqueria in the city let me know. Its a 30 minute train ride from downtown. But you can take the brown line and see the city and get the best carne asada ever. I have to warn you though, its a dump.

hornet84 wrote:My wife will be turning 40 in July and I was toying with the idea of taking her to Chicago for a couple of days. I have never been there before. I was just looking for ideas of where to eat, sights to see, places to stay, etc. We are probably looking at three days max, more than likely two days.

Take her for a horse-drawn carriage ride. She'll love it.

I typically pick up my Chicago hotels on Priceline or Hotwire. I've been able to score 3.5-4 star hotels for $125ish before. Just limit your neighborhoods to Loop or Magnificent Mile.

JB and Ziner's suggestions are all excellent. Gino's East pizza is good, but not worth "1-hour waiting outside in line" good.

If either of you like Italian food, the Rosebud is excellent. They have a few locations in the city.

Good one, Cant believe I didnt think of that. Hornet, you should seriously look in to that.

Oh one more thing. If you are thinking early July that would be cool because they have the Taste of Chicago going on. That is a darn good time except on weekends and the 3rd (fireworks) it is miserable then. If you can hit it up during a weekday it is a good time and fairly reasonable. Pick the tickets up from the grocery store on the way in though, they are alot cheaper. Once again more info pm me.

I am sure however that hotels will be much more expensive while it is goign on. Gets over the 5th of July.

Love Chicago. Been there 4-5 times for work, never for straight pleasure. Days always busy, never really been able to sightsee. Nights ... 7-8 hours of straight eating and drinking, and it's a great place to eat and drink.

Wife is going there with her cousin next weekend. I'm Mr Mom. Eff me.

"It's like dating a woman who hates you so much she will never break up with you, even if you burn down the house every single autumn." ~ Chuck Klosterman on Browns fans relationship with the Browns

jack_tors wrote:This thread is further proof why this board rules. I am heading to Chicago this weekend to see the Indians at Wrigley. A lot of good suggestions, definitely will hit them up.

I am staying at the Palmer House Hilton right in downtown on E. Monroe. Anyone been there?

Also, anyone know if the Fireworks at Navy Pier are worth it?

Thanks in advance !

Palmer House Hilton is a very nice hotel. Had an excellent, if pricy, breakfast buffet. It is down by Millennium Park and Grant Park, which is nice. Buckingham Fountain and the Bean are close. You'll be pretty close to the Art Institute and the Field Museum. Not as close to the Magnificent Mile, but it's still walkable depending on the weather. The buses are pretty easy down Michigan Ave, though.

Good one, Cant believe I didnt think of that. Hornet, you should seriously look in to that.

EB and Z - what if the horse ate Beff-a-reeno ?

As long as the horse's name isn't Rusty, you should be fine!

Galley Boys are slop on top of a so-so burger and a bun you coulde get from a Covneninet food mart generic pack. They the Antoine Joubert of burgers; soft, sloppy, oozing grease and cheap sauce and extremely overrated by a biased fan base. Proof that if you throw enough cheap sauce shit on a burger you still can't overcome the lame burger. -JB

View from 171 wrote:After dinner (and after dark) take your wife to the 95th floor of the John Hancock Tower for a few drinks. It is not cheap for a beer/drink but the atmosphere is cool and the view is sweet.

Actually that is a good one too. It isnt as pricey as you think when you consider it is like 12-16 bucks or somethign to go up in the Sears tower. I always took people up in the Hancock, got what I think to be a better view and got 2 beers with my money instead. Stay up there all night and you will spend a boatload, go up for a beer or two and you get a nice view and a beer for the same price as the nice view at Sears...

No lie, I am disappointed in our former local Chi-towners. You peeps are dropping classic tourist things to do left and right, how about some real insight? The conceirge at the hotel could have pointed all of this stuff out. I love me some Chi-town but I know if someone comes to Boston I ain't going to tell them to take the damn duckboat tour or go up to Top of The Hub in the Prudential Building until I take them to some more legit areas.

e0y2e3 wrote:No lie, I am disappointed in our former local Chi-towners. You peeps are dropping classic tourist things to do left and right, how about some real insight? The conceirge at the hotel could have pointed all of this stuff out. I love me some Chi-town but I know if someone comes to Boston I ain't going to tell them to take the damn duckboat tour or go up to Top of The Hub in the Prudential Building until I take them to some more legit areas.

If you want any more paticular info pm me. Also if you are adventurous and want to take a trip to the hands down best taqueria in the city let me know. Its a 30 minute train ride from downtown. But you can take the brown line and see the city and get the best carne asada ever. I have to warn you though, its a dump.

There is only so much you can tell someone on a message board about the intracacies of a city. If I was with Hornet, I would take him to other places but since he has never been there and likely doesnt know how to get around, what I would recommend is limited. Besides when you first go to a city most people want to do the touristy crap, not some random Germanfest or Art Fair 5 miles north of downtown. If he is staying downtown, most of his time should be spent hanging out downtown, and what is downtown is touristy things.

Hornet I also forgot one place if you like BBQ. Its called Smoque, it was on a Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on food network. Hands down best BBQ I've ever had. It will please EOy because it is off the beaten path, but completely accessible by the blue line.

e0y2e3 wrote:No lie, I am disappointed in our former local Chi-towners. You peeps are dropping classic tourist things to do left and right, how about some real insight? The conceirge at the hotel could have pointed all of this stuff out. I love me some Chi-town but I know if someone comes to Boston I ain't going to tell them to take the damn duckboat tour or go up to Top of The Hub in the Prudential Building until I take them to some more legit areas.

I see what you mean.

If I were in a city as a tourest, I'd never want to do anything tourest.

Freak anything like historical sites in Boston.

I'd much rather go to Dorchetsre and get my car stolen ans ass kicked.

The South side of Chicago is really nice. Too bad the full Carbini-Green experience is no longer available.

JB wrote:The South side of Chicago is really nice. Too bad the full Carbini-Green experience is no longer available.

I dont think it was knocked down yet, pretty sure it is full of squatters. Beautiful place. Everytime I drive by there I am still amazed at the 600K townhomes across the street. Not sure who bought them but sure hope they break the Chicago law and keep plenty of guns in their home. That is a rough, rough area.

e0y2e3 wrote:No lie, I am disappointed in our former local Chi-towners. You peeps are dropping classic tourist things to do left and right, how about some real insight? The conceirge at the hotel could have pointed all of this stuff out. I love me some Chi-town but I know if someone comes to Boston I ain't going to tell them to take the damn duckboat tour or go up to Top of The Hub in the Prudential Building until I take them to some more legit areas.

I see what you mean.

If I were in a city as a tourest, I'd never want to do anything tourest.

Freak anything like historical sites in Boston.

I'd much rather go to Dorchetsre and get my car stolen ans ass kicked.

The South side of Chicago is really nice. Too bad the full Carbini-Green experience is no longer available.

Well I seldom leave the Back Bay I had my first Dorchester experience over memorial day.

Ended up at the bar until 4AM, they just close the doors and ignore the law.

Different world down there (although there are some decent areas in Dorchester, it's not as bad as Roxbury).

e0y2e3 wrote:No lie, I am disappointed in our former local Chi-towners. You peeps are dropping classic tourist things to do left and right, how about some real insight? The conceirge at the hotel could have pointed all of this stuff out. I love me some Chi-town but I know if someone comes to Boston I ain't going to tell them to take the damn duckboat tour or go up to Top of The Hub in the Prudential Building until I take them to some more legit areas.

I see what you mean.

If I were in a city as a tourest, I'd never want to do anything tourest.

Freak anything like historical sites in Boston.

I'd much rather go to Dorchetsre and get my car stolen ans ass kicked.

The South side of Chicago is really nice. Too bad the full Carbini-Green experience is no longer available.

Well I seldom leave the Back Bay I had my first Dorchester experience over memorial day.

Ended up at the bar until 4AM, they just close the doors and ignore the law.

Different world down there (although there are some decent areas in Dorchester, it's not as bad as Roxbury).

Almost reminded me of Y-town.

Sounds precisely what Hornet's wife would want to do on her 40th, eh?

I dunno. He could be Mr Winehouse I suppose.

& like Back Bay isn't commercial / tourest. Every stinkin' conference I 've ever been to in B-town is at those hotels. Love Boylston street though; in my touresty way of course.

Chicago really is an awesome time. Thanks to all who posted suggestions, I definitely used them.

Lou Malnati's pizza was great, spent an hour waiting for the pizza Friday night but it was worth it. Went with the butter crust pizza and glad I did as I never tasted a pizza like that before. I recommend it to anyone.

Did up a bratwurst at Wrigley Field, again a good choice. What a ballpark, easy to see why its considered a baseball Mecca. Watched the Indians take batting practice (Hafner hit the house across the street from the right field line) and then watch Wood blow it in the 13th. Great being an Indians fan..

Also did up Pizzeria Due (Pizza just sounded good). Got a medium sausage pizza and medium barbeque chicken pizza. Again, awesome food, so good I ate the left over for breakfast before hitting the road the next day..

I was very impressed with Chicago and would really like to go back soon.

“Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand.”- Wes Westrum

"The future is like a Japanese game show, we have no idea whats going on." - Tracy Jordan

"Gentlemen, Chicolini here may talk like an idiot and look like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."-Rufus T. Firefly

Again, this stuff is pretty anti-climactic but still neat to see. I am a huge history dork and movie buff so this is what I am into. I've been to some pretty corny places all around the world and have actually stumbled on to some of the best times I have ever had.

Edit: If you plan to vsit some museums and such this can be a real moneysaver as it covers admission to alot of places:

Ziner wrote:Stonepm, how could you not include the Home Alone house in Winnetka. The wife begged me to go up there before xmas

I had actually never been there. And...I didn't want to seem like too big of a loser. Besides, my post woulda been like 4 pages long if I woulda got into all the Ferris Bueller stuff too.

One thing I didn't mention is that everybody keeps asying about the Magnificent Mile...If you plan to take your wife shopping, be prepared to drop some serious $$$. One place to avoid though is American Girl Place. I went in there once to get something for my GF's daughter. It was really creepy. There were hundreds of girls in there was dressed exactly like her doll and I even saw a few of the mothers dressed like the kid who was dressed like the doll. I was waiting for heads to start spinning. It was weird. But it is not that far from Victoria's Secret and that may be a place you are inteested in.

Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even adulthood.--Howell Raines

stonepm wrote:One thing I didn't mention is that everybody keeps asying about the Magnificent Mile...If you plan to take your wife shopping, be prepared to drop some serious $$$. One place to avoid though is American Girl Place. I went in there once to get something for my GF's daughter. It was really creepy. There were hundreds of girls in there was dressed exactly like her doll and I even saw a few of the mothers dressed like the kid who was dressed like the doll. I was waiting for heads to start spinning. It was weird. But it is not that far from Victoria's Secret and that may be a place you are inteested in.

The wife and I took some strolls along mag mile and we would pop in to Cartier or Burberry. Those places are amazing. Whoever spends $300 for a Burberry umbrella needs to be punched in the junk. You could feed a family of 4 for a month for that. I suppose rich people need to keep spending to keep the world moving, but I still find the people who buy that stuff extremely wasteful. I could care less how much money I have, I can not see myself ever buying a car over 60-70K, jeans for $300, or a burberry scarf for $200. Amazing.

Oh and hornet, if you want a cool experience, there is a Bentley/Lamborghini dealer right off the mag mile. They are extremely cool and more than happy to talk to visitors who have no interest in a vehicle. They are beautiful car, just awfully wasteful, but still fun to look at.

stonepm wrote:One thing I didn't mention is that everybody keeps asying about the Magnificent Mile...If you plan to take your wife shopping, be prepared to drop some serious $$$. One place to avoid though is American Girl Place. I went in there once to get something for my GF's daughter. It was really creepy. There were hundreds of girls in there was dressed exactly like her doll and I even saw a few of the mothers dressed like the kid who was dressed like the doll. I was waiting for heads to start spinning. It was weird. But it is not that far from Victoria's Secret and that may be a place you are inteested in.

The wife and I took some strolls along mag mile and we would pop in to Cartier or Burberry. Those places are amazing. Whoever spends $300 for a Burberry umbrella needs to be punched in the junk. You could feed a family of 4 for a month for that. I suppose rich people need to keep spending to keep the world moving, but I still find the people who buy that stuff extremely wasteful. I could care less how much money I have, I can not see myself ever buying a car over 60-70K, jeans for $300, or a burberry scarf for $200. Amazing.

Oh and hornet, if you want a cool experience, there is a Bentley/Lamborghini dealer right off the mag mile. They are extremely cool and more than happy to talk to visitors who have no interest in a vehicle. They are beautiful car, just awfully wasteful, but still fun to look at.

Sorry, but I'm kinda guilty. I don't spend money on myself. I am actually pretty frugal/cheap(my last trip to Europe cost less than $1400 for 2 weeks and that included airfare, train tickets and hotels). But I do like to spoil the squaw. I paid $75 for a bathrobe for a 8 yr old and her stupid doll @ the American Girl Place. I also bought the GF a purse ( I won't tell you how much that cost) from the Coach store. That was something I never thought I would do in my life. Not to mention it was a dude salesman that sold me the purse. I myself think its silly, but I'm a sucker for blue eyes.

Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even adulthood.--Howell Raines

stonepm wrote:One thing I didn't mention is that everybody keeps asying about the Magnificent Mile...If you plan to take your wife shopping, be prepared to drop some serious $$$. One place to avoid though is American Girl Place. I went in there once to get something for my GF's daughter. It was really creepy. There were hundreds of girls in there was dressed exactly like her doll and I even saw a few of the mothers dressed like the kid who was dressed like the doll. I was waiting for heads to start spinning. It was weird. But it is not that far from Victoria's Secret and that may be a place you are inteested in.

The wife and I took some strolls along mag mile and we would pop in to Cartier or Burberry. Those places are amazing. Whoever spends $300 for a Burberry umbrella needs to be punched in the junk. You could feed a family of 4 for a month for that. I suppose rich people need to keep spending to keep the world moving, but I still find the people who buy that stuff extremely wasteful. I could care less how much money I have, I can not see myself ever buying a car over 60-70K, jeans for $300, or a burberry scarf for $200. Amazing.

Oh and hornet, if you want a cool experience, there is a Bentley/Lamborghini dealer right off the mag mile. They are extremely cool and more than happy to talk to visitors who have no interest in a vehicle. They are beautiful car, just awfully wasteful, but still fun to look at.

Sorry, but I'm kinda guilty. I don't spend money on myself. I am actually pretty frugal/cheap(my last trip to Europe cost less than $1400 for 2 weeks and that included airfare, train tickets and hotels). But I do like to spoil the squaw. I paid $75 for a bathrobe for a 8 yr old and her stupid doll @ the American Girl Place. I also bought the GF a purse ( I won't tell you how much that cost) from the Coach store. That was something I never thought I would do in my life. Not to mention it was a dude salesman that sold me the purse. I myself think its silly, but I'm a sucker for blue eyes.

$75 bucks for a child (no matter how stupid) if it makes them happy isnt extragant. Figure a PS3 costs $400 and if she was a boy she would want that. I have also bought Coach purses for the wife. I am just saying on myself, I cant see spending that kind of money on stuff for myself. I spent more than I ever imagined on a engagement ring so I am guilty as well... but just not for myself.

$75 bucks for a child (no matter how stupid) if it makes them happy isnt extragant. Figure a PS3 costs $400 and if she was a boy she would want that. I have also bought Coach purses for the wife. I am just saying on myself, I cant see spending that kind of money on stuff for myself. I spent more than I ever imagined on a engagement ring so I am guilty as well... but just not for myself.

We are the same. When it comes to them, I don't really care how much it costs. I don't spend hardly anything on myself, just not interested in it I guess. I get most of my clothes from the goodwill and drive a 2001 Buick (not exactly a cool car). Hell, I hang my clothes outside on a line so I don't have to use the dryer. But that's just me.

BTW, she has a Wii.

Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even adulthood.--Howell Raines

Thanks for all the input fellas. Chicago is not happening this year. We will be staying local and spending time with the kids. Probably hitting the Rock Hall and heading downtown for dinner. Any suggestions for CTown dining ?

hornet84 wrote:Thanks for all the input fellas. Chicago is not happening this year. We will be staying local and spending time with the kids. Probably hitting the Rock Hall and heading downtown for dinner. Any suggestions for CTown dining ?

hornet84 wrote:Thanks for all the input fellas. Chicago is not happening this year. We will be staying local and spending time with the kids. Probably hitting the Rock Hall and heading downtown for dinner. Any suggestions for CTown dining ?

Galley Boys are slop on top of a so-so burger and a bun you coulde get from a Covneninet food mart generic pack. They the Antoine Joubert of burgers; soft, sloppy, oozing grease and cheap sauce and extremely overrated by a biased fan base. Proof that if you throw enough cheap sauce shit on a burger you still can't overcome the lame burger. -JB

hornet84 wrote:Thanks for all the input fellas. Chicago is not happening this year. We will be staying local and spending time with the kids. Probably hitting the Rock Hall and heading downtown for dinner. Any suggestions for CTown dining ?

Good luck and fun down there, I hear they will be giving away some big prizes for the 50th visitor.

Criminals in this town used to believe in things...honor, respect."I heard your dog is sick, so bought you this shovel"